Lost & Found: Alright, the first of these 45 tracks is really light, and while I do think Chris’s vocals are really solid, the hook is unmemorable and the song as a whole is pretty boring. I’m sure there are gonna be some great songs on here, but regardless, this isn’t the best start to this marathon.
Privacy: This track is really sexy and really fun! I love the upbeat sound, the electronic instrumentals, and Chris’s vocals are really strong. The lyrics are also unapologetically sex-driven, and while some of them are a little strange (blame it on my immaturity, but I couldn’t help but laugh during the hook when he said “licking your private parts”), the song is too fun and irresistible for me. This is one I think will become a replay-button breaker.
Juicy Booty (ft. Jhené Aiko and R. Kelly): Another kind of lighter track, but one with a rather unremarkable hook and not as much fun as some of the other tracks on here. And R. Kelly’s performance can’t hold a candle to some of his older, greater songs. Fortunately, Jhené Aiko’s performance is really great, though it’s not quite enough to save the song from just being okay.
Questions: This interpolation of Kevin Lyttle’s “Turn Me On” is really short, but it’s got a really fun beat and a really rock-solid vocal performance from Chris. Sure, it’s not the most wholly original thing in the world, but I’ve broken the replay button with it, and I think it’s a really fun, really enjoyable track.
Heartbreak On a Full Moon: Another slower jam, this one has a really strong beat and it sounds really pretty overall. I also do appreciate that this track is lyrically not as NSFW as some of the others on here. I’m not really all that crazy about the hook, and I feel like I’m not gonna be replaying this song a lot, but it’s still not a bad track, and it might even grow on me in the future.
Roses: This one is honestly really boring to me. The beat is not bad, and Chris’s vocals sound nice, but his performance is not as passionate on this track, and the hook is really bland overall. One of my least favorite tracks on the album.
Confidence: Another upbeat track with a pretty fun instrumental that, while being nothing we haven’t heard before, is still exciting enough. Hook on this is not really that great, but overall, the song is pretty decent.
Rock Your Body: Chris’s vocal performance on this track is interesting (speaking mostly about his accent), and the beat on this is really enjoyable. The hook, while seemingly repetitive, is also really fun. This is a track I feel like I’ll keep coming back to, it’s really good.
Tempo: Chris’s flow on the verses is really strong on this one, and the hook is too irresistible for me. Even if it sounds like nothing that new, I’ve said it before, “standard” and “similar” music is not bad if it has a certain charm to it that makes me want to come back, and I can say this song has that charm. For me, it’s too much fun.
Handle It (ft. DeJ Loaf and Lil Yachty): Unfortunately, this track doesn’t have that certain charm I was talking about, and it’s just kind of boring to me. DeJ Loaf is featured on the hook, and while her vocals are not bad, the hook honestly feels like “dollar store Rae Sremmurd” to me. I do think Lil Yachty’s feature was not bad (not shocking, I like him as a feature pretty often), but it’s not enough to save the track.
Sip: The pretty simple drum beat on this track is some head-nodding fun, and Chris’s flow helps make the verses really fun. Again, feels kind of familiar, and not a great hook on this track, but it’s a fun enough track that, while not necessarily a highlight of the album, is still an enjoyable listen.
Everybody Knows: Another track that just feels like it’s been done better by other artists. Sure, the beat is fun, but the hook is really unenthusiastic on this one, and Chris’s vocal performance is not as memorable as many of his other, better songs.
To My Bed: Once again, the beat on this is really strong, and I do like the really raunchy lyrics on this one, but for a song so raunchy, I feel like the song isn’t really sexy enough for what Chris is trying to go for, and instead of sounding sexy, it just feels kind of boring. Easy to head-nod to, and not one of the worst on the album, but it feels kind of throw-away to me.
Hope You Do: I liked the slower sound that the track had going for it before the beat kicked in, and I kind of wish it had stuck with that lighter sound. Even so, the beat is still head-noddy, Chris’s vocals are charismatic and strong, as you’d expected, and his flow on the verses is fun. The hook is not great, but overall, another track that’s not too bad.
This Ain’t: Chris talks on this track about how he and a girl are “just fucking” and not really in love, and his vocals are really great on the track. The slower beat is also pretty solid, as well. Not one of the album’s best, but a nice, slow-ish jam that actually feels kinda different from a few of the tracks on here.
Pull Up: Another pretty slow song that has some really great vocals and a strong, old-school R&B vibe to me. And I actually like the third verse, where Chris is talking about how the girl’s race is irrelevant to him, and he’ll get down with a girl no matter what. There’s something really enjoyable and charming about this track that I feel like I’ll definitely come back to it in the future.
Party (ft. Gucci Mane and Usher): This is a really upbeat track with a really fun hook and some good performances from Chris Brown and Usher. I’m not as crazy about Gucci’s verse on this one, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that this is a pretty fun, enjoyable track.
Sensei (ft. A1): Boring hook, boring performances from Chris Brown and A1, a boring Soundcloud mumble rap-esque instrumental melody…get the picture? This one is boring.
Summer Breeze: Fortunately, Chris bounces back with a good track here. I really like the hook on this track, the instrumental melody is pretty enjoyable, and Chris’s performance is really energetic throughout this one. Another track I feel like I’ll come back to.
No Exit: After a pretty light start, things change quickly as this turns into an upbeat, energetic, funky track with a really hypnotic, head-nodding beat, a charismatic performance from Chris, and an enjoyable hook. This is definitely one of my personal favorites on the album.
Pills & Automobiles (ft. Yo Gotti, A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Kodak Black): Unfortunately, we follow up one of the best tracks on the album with what is easily the weakest of the currently-released “singles” from this thing. Chris’s extremely-autotuned vocals make him sound almost completely different, and not for the better. The hook is also really generic and boring on this one. As for the three featured artists, Yo Gotti’s verse is relatively fun, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie has a good voice, even if his verse isn’t extremely fun, and Kodak Black’s verse is as forgettable as they come. Overall, this is a track I ultimately cannot recommend in any way.
Hurt The Same: The end of Disc 1 features some overly long and forgettable verses, a decent enough beat, and a solid hook but not nearly enough charm or charisma to make it a really memorable song. Not really the best end of the first disc, and while it’s not one of the album’s worst, it’s just not all that catchy. But, we made it through Disc 1, which means we still have a whole 18 tracks to get through (23 if you count the bonus tracks)!!!!! Yaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy……
I Love Her: Alright, we are finally at Disc 2 of this thing. This second disc starts with Chris pining about how much he loves a woman, all over a pretty standard electronic instrumental with a basic beat. It’s fun if you really like Chris’s music, but all in all, for this, this one just kind of lacks the charm of some of the better tracks on here. That, and it also ends all too quickly. I can’t help but feel like there wasn’t as much love put into this track as there could’ve been.
You Like: Oh, and right as that ends, we get a track that sounds very similar and is also similarly short. And again, it sounds like your standard, EDM song with not enough to set itself apart from many other, better tracks in the genre. And if you thought the sudden ending of the last track was bad, it’s even worse here. It’s literally just like *pop* done. Definitely one of the weaker tracks on this thing.
Nowhere: I like the more romantic vibe that I’m getting from this track, though I do kind of feel like there’s a bit too much going on instrumentally on this one. It could’ve been even better if it was a little lighter. Otherwise, it’s not one of the album’s best, but it’s still a nice enough track.
Otha N***as: No, I’m not going to say the actual title of this song. Be it in real life or in writing, I’m not typing that word out. No thank you. Anyway, this song is pretty fun overall. I like the instrumental melody and Chris’s vocals, and the hook is pretty enjoyable overall. I’m not sure if I’ll be revisiting it too much after this review, but I do think it might grow on me in time, even if the sudden ending pissed me off a lot.
Tough Love: I like the beat on this one a lot, and melodically, there’s a lot of interesting things going on here, but I’m not really crazy about the hook on this track. Chris’s performance isn’t bad throughout this, but it’s just kind of a shame that his performance on this is not as interesting as the instrumental.
Paradise: Ooh, the beat on this one is really cool! Very beach-esque, it lives up to the “Paradise” name. I definitely feel like Chris’s vocals are fitting for the track, and I like how the lyrics are not as NSFW on this one, because I think that would feel out-of-place for the song. Overall, this one is really enjoyable, and I think I’ll end up coming back to it a lot.
Covered In You: This is another slower track, and it features a pretty fun performance from Chris that shows that he has some really solid flow. The hook is also really fun on this one. It’s not one of my favorites on the album, but it’s a good one that might grow on me in time.
Even: Instrumentally, this track doesn’t have as much going on, but it’s still got some great energy and charm. Chris partially samples “Remember the Time” by Michael Jackson, lovingly so, and this song feels very emotional and subdued compared to some of the other tracks here. This is definitely one of my personal favorites on the album.
High End (ft. Future and Young Thug): I’m not usually crazy about Future, but I thought his verse was pretty enjoyable on this one. Chris’s performance is also fun, and Young Thug’s verse was not bad, either. My big issue with this track is that it kind of lacks variation throughout, and there’s no real hook on this track. So, all in all, it can get a little bit boring. Still not a bad song, I just think it could’ve been more polished.
On Me: In ways, this track feels like pleasantly old-school Chris Brown. I like the hook, and I think Chris’s vocals are really strong here. It’s probably not as sexy as its raunchy lyrics may make you think, but otherwise, it’s a good track that might grow on me in time.
Tell Me What to Do: Another pretty light track, but I really like the more swingy beat on this track, and the hook is really strong. Some of the really NSFW lyrics might feel at odds with the melody of the track, but I think that’s what makes it enjoyable. I’ll probably end up replaying this one a lot.
Frustrated: Back to the EDM feel, this song is just too much fun to me. Even if the hook can be a bit repetitive, it’s too charming for me. The beat is also charming enough to work despite its familiarity, and Chris’s vocals are great as usual. Another potential replay button breaker.
Enemy: The instrumental melody actually feels pretty different and interesting on this track, and the beat is easy to head-nod to. And, as usual, I love Chris’s vocals on this track, and the hook is quite fun. I definitely can say that Chris is saving the best tracks for last, that’s for sure.
If You’re Down: A really good dance song that, again, might be familiar, but it’s too much fun for me to resist. The hook is great, the instrumental melody is vibrant and exciting, and all in all, this song will definitely get some repeat listens from me.
Bite My Tongue: Another dance song, but one that’s a bit slower. Still has some really interesting things going on melodically, and the hook is once again really fun. Sure, it’s nothing you haven’t heard before, but for me, it’s too good to resist.
Run Away: After all of the love songs on this album, Chris talks about police brutality. Kind of strange to see such a transition, but I do like the darker lyrics, the more subdued sound, and Chris’s more emotional performance here. This story about wanting to get away from police for the sake of love is, again, really memorable and enjoyable.
This Way: On this track, Chris blames a woman he was engaged to for forcing him to find solace in one-night stands with other women. I guess different people react to breakups differently, I wouldn’t know because I’ve never had a girlfriend. Either way, the beat is pretty solid and Chris’s performance is pretty fun, even if this track isn’t one of the album’s best.
Yellow Tape: Well, guys, we’ve made it through both discs of the album, except we’re not done because there are five bonus tracks after this. Wow. Anyway, the end of Disc 2 shows Chris conveying that Hollywood is like a crime scene, while also pretty much calling out all of his haters and showing his angry side off. It’s very dark but really interesting. Chris’s vocals and flow are really strong, and this is something I feel like I’ll want to keep coming back to and keep replaying. It’s hypnotic, and it’s a really strong end to the album…except that it’s not really the end of the album because we have five bonus tracks! Gosh.
Reddi Wip: Alrighty, now we’re finally at the bonus tracks! Which means, we’ve almost made it through this album! To start off our bonus tracks, we have a track with a really catchy drum beat, some really strong vocals from Chris, and a really irresistible vibe all-around. This one will definitely get some replays from me.
Hangover: Another really great track with a catchy beat, a really fun instrumental, some great vocals from Chris, and a really memorable hook. Another track that will definitely get a few replays out of me.
Emotions: Once again, Chris’s vocals are really strong on this track, I had a lot of fun with the hook on this one, and while it ends kind of suddenly, it’s really enjoyable, replay-button-breaking stuff while it lasts.
Only 4 Me (ft. Ty Dolla $ign and Verse Simmonds): I really like the instrumental melody on this track, and the performance of featured artists Verse Simmonds and Ty Dolla $ign are really strong, but I don’t find the hook particularly memorable on this track, and I think the features really outshine Chris on this one. It’s not bad at all, but it’s not the most memorable of the laundry-list of tracks on this album.
Grass Ain’t Greener: Phew, we’ve finally made it to the end of this album! If you’ve read this far, congratulations, you must have some damn good patience. Anyway, this final track is pretty dark. Chris talks about how a “side girl” became his “main girl” and things spiraled downwards from there. The beat is not bad, and the hook is relatively catchy, but I’m not gonna lie, I don’t think I’ll be going back to this one that much. Still a solid end to the album.
*breathes a sigh of relief* Okay, now that I’ve actually made it through this marathon, final thoughts: I CANNOT in good conscience recommend that you listen to this entire thing. 45 tracks, nearly 2 hours and 40 minutes, all of the songs that sound very similar to each other. Though this thing was hyped up to no end and there was much to-do about it, it can’t help but feel more like a gimmick to get people talking about what would otherwise be two decent, if unspectacular, albums had they been released on their own. However, I can’t deny that I did enjoy myself with a number of the tracks on here, and I do think that, as repetitive as it can be, Chris Brown understands what his sound is, and he’s sticking to what works. It’s definitely very safe, but it’s still charming and enjoyable enough. But know thyself when it comes to this album, if you feel EXTREMELY adventurous, listen to the whole thing, but otherwise, don’t actively try to go through it all. And as for my rating? Well, obviously, if you’re a die-hard Chris Brown fan, this is right up your alley and you’ll love it. However, if you're not a die-hard, this won't change your mind. And even if you are a die-hard, don't listen to this entire thing at once. There are some good takeaways, but it's a bit too loaded for its own good.
PHEW, glad that’s over. I need a nap now.
Favorite tracks: Privacy, Questions, Rock Your Body, Tempo, Pull Up, Party, Summer Breeze, No Exit, Paradise, Even, Tell Me What To Do, Frustrated, Enemy, If You're Down, Bite My Tongue, Run Away, Yellow Tape, Reddi Wip, Hangover, Emotions *breathes heavily*
Least favorite tracks: Roses, Handle It, Everybody Knows, Sensei, Pills & Automobiles, You Like *gasping for breath*
Rating: Okay
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